Latest Smartphone King in 2026: Chinese Brands Increasingly Left Behind
The global memory chip crisis began impacting the smartphone market in Q1 2026. According to a report from research firm IDC released on 14 April 2026, smartphone shipments fell 4.1% year-on-year to 289.7 million units over the first three months of the year.
A prior report from Counterpoint, published on 10 April 2026, noted a similar trend. Smartphone shipments dropped 6% year-on-year in Q1 2026. The primary cause was shortages of DRAM and NAND memory components.
IDC estimates that the weakness in early 2026 remains relatively mild compared to potential pressures ahead. The ongoing memory chip crisis and rising selling prices are seen as burdens on the global smartphone industry.
In agreement, Counterpoint assesses that smartphone shipment performance in subsequent quarters could face deeper pressure due to surging component prices and increasing logistics costs.
Samsung Remains the Number One Smartphone King According to IDC
In IDC’s report, Samsung remains firmly the ‘king’ of global smartphones, shipping 62.8 million Galaxy series units to capture a 21.7% market share year-on-year. That figure reflects 3.6% growth year-on-year, driven by strong demand for the flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra series.
Apple sits in second place with stellar performance from iPhone 17 series sales, along with significant growth in China exceeding 30%. Apple shipped 61.1 million iPhones, securing a 21.1% market share in Q1 2026. IDC notes that Apple showed 3.3% sales growth year-on-year in Q1 2026.
Below Samsung and Apple, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo still rank at the bottom of the ‘Top 5’. However, these established Chinese manufacturers experienced significant shipment declines.
Xiaomi plunged 19.1% year-on-year, Oppo fell 9.9% year-on-year, and Vivo dropped 6.8% year-on-year.
Outside the ‘Top 5’ list, companies like Honor, Lenovo (Motorola), and Huawei showed growth. IDC states that Honor achieved the highest growth in the ‘Top 10’ ranks, at 24% year-on-year. This was driven by the company’s focus on accelerating expansion into more markets.
Associate Director of Consumer Devices at IDC, Kiranjeet Kaur, said Q1 2026 was a challenging period for all smartphone manufacturers. They had to balance profitability and growth, as well as stabilise in domestic markets and expand abroad amid supply limitations and price pressures.
“Apple and Samsung benefited from their dominance in the premium segment, where they strategically held back price increases, while others like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo made joint efforts to shift market share to higher price segments,” she stated, quoted from IDC’s official website on Thursday (16/4/2026).
Apple as the Number One Smartphone King According to Counterpoint
The data reported by IDC differs slightly from that published by Counterpoint. According to Counterpoint data, Apple holds the top position with 5% growth year-on-year in Q1 2026.
Apple is described as the smartphone manufacturer least affected by the memory chip crisis, due to its segment and positioning focused on the ultra-premium class. Additionally, Apple has a highly integrated supply chain.
Apple recorded the most significant growth in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China, India, and Japan.
Meanwhile, Samsung is in second place with a 6% shipment decline year-on-year in Q1 2026, according to Counterpoint data. Samsung faced challenges in the mid-to-low-end smartphone segment. Nevertheless, Counterpoint also emphasised the strong demand for the Galaxy S26 series amid the crisis.
Counterpoint reported declines for established Chinese smartphone brands. Xiaomi fell 19% year-on-year, Oppo dropped 4% year-on-year, and Vivo declined 2% year-on-year.
Beyond that, Counterpoint highlighted significant growth from smartphone brands outside the ‘Top 5’ list. Honor, Google, and Nothing were noted as growing most significantly throughout Q1 2026.
Honor and Nothing each grew 25% year-on-year, while Google grew 14% year-on-year.